COMMITTEE    ON    PUBLIC     INFORMATION 


Speaking  Division 


Bulletin  No.  2 


^muvmt 


T-i 


HINTS  for  SPEAKERS 

The  ISSUES  of  the  WAR 
AT  A  GLANCE 

BASED  UPON  PUBLICATIONS  OF 

THE  COMMITTEE  ON  PUBLIC  INFORMATION 

NOS.  1,  101,  102,  103,  104 


"We  dedicate  our  lives  and  our  fortunes,  everything  that  we  are  and 
everything  that  we  have,  v<ith  the  pride  of  those  who  know  that  the  day  has 
come  when  America  is  privileged  to  spend  her  blood  and  her  might  for 
the  principles  that  gave  her  birth  and  happiness  and  the  peace  which  she 
has  treasured.  God  helping  her,  she  can  do  no  other." — President 
Wilson. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C 

January,  191 S 


THE  WAR  AT  A  GLANCE 

BASED  UPON  PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE  ON 
PUBLIC  INFORMATION. 


How  the  War  Came  to  America. 

The  President's  Address  of  January  22,  1917. 
The  President's  War  Message,  April  2,  1917. 
The  Flag  Day  Address,  June  14,  1917. 

The  War  Message  and  the  Facts  Behind  It. 

The  President's  Message  Annotated. 

The  Nation  in  Arms. 

By  Franldin  K.  Lane,  Secretary  of  Interior, 
and  Newton  D.  Baker,  Secretary  of  War. 

The  German  Government. 

By  Charles  D.  Hazen. 

The  Great  War:  From  Spectator  to  Participant. 

By  Andrew  C.  McLaughlin. 

THE  ORIGIN. 

All  the  world  is  at  war  with  Germany, 
Since  Germany  makes  war  on  all  the  world. 

Germany  defies  all  the  world. 

Germany  would  master  the  world. 

Germany  would  sack  the  whole  world. 

Germany  so  declares. 
Germany  provoked  war — 

We  held  our  peace. 

36686°— 13  (3) 


Germany  invaded  Belgium — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  dealt  in  frightf ulness — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  exalted  ruthlessness — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  slew  women  and  children — 

We  held  om'  peace. 
Germany  promoted  massacre — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  enslaved  captives — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  sunk  the  Lusitania — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  set  spies  among  us — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  plotted  within  our  gates — 

We  hold  our  peace. 
Germany  intrigued  against  us — 

We  held  our  peace. 
Germany  fomented  strife  among  us — 

We  studied  forbearance. 
Germany  destroyed  our  goods — 

We  swallowed  our  indignation. 
Germany  murdered  our  citizens — 

We  choked  down  our  wrath. 
Germany  broke  solemn  promises — 

We  clung  to  shattered  faith. 
Germany — 

At  length  loosed  war  on  us  and  on  all  neutrals. 
Then  we  saw 

The  only  way  out  was  to  go  through. 
Beset  by  war — 

The  United  States  fights  for  world  peace. 
Our  State  is  founded  on  tlie  consent  of  the  governed — 

Germany  makes  war  on  that. 


5 

Our  Government  is  established  on  the  people's  wiU — 

Germany  makes  war  on  that. 
Our  Civilization  is  seated  in  equal  rights — 

Germany  makes  war  on  that. 
Our  Life  is  shaped  to  the  way  of  freedom — 

Germany  makes  war  on  that. 
"There  is  only  one  law  in  Germany  and  that  is  my  will." — Kaiser 

Wilhelm. 
''Henceforth  nothing  in  America  shall  be  done  without  me." — Kaiser 
Wilhelm. 

THE  CAUSE  AT  STAKE. 

This  is  the  world  war:  other  wars  were  waged — 

By  one  prince  upon  another. 

By  one  kingdom  upon  another. 

By  one  coahtion  upon  another. 
Now  Germany  setting  itself  against  the  world 
Involves  all  mankind  in  the  world  war. 
Germany  beheves  with  all  its  strength — 

In  the  survival  of  the  fittest. 

In  the  conflict  of  raw  forces. 

In  warfare  as  the  supreme  test. 

In  Germany's  power  to  prevail. 
So  Germany  challenges  aU  the  world. 
If  Germany  is  right — 

Other  Governments  must  fall. 

Other  civilizations  must  go  under. 

Other  ideas  must  be  cast  aside. 
It  is  Germany  against  the  world. 
If  Germany  is  right — 

The  people  exist  for  the  State. 

The  subject  lives  by  the  king's  sufferance. 

The  sword  is  supreme  law. 

I^Iight  alone  measures  right. 
It  is  Germany  against  self-government. 


6 

If  Germany  is  right — 

Frightfulness  is  sound  policy. 

Mercy  is  sinful  folly. 

Clemency  is  silly  sentiment. 

Democracy  is  an  idle  dream. 
It  is  Germany  against  equal  rights. 
If  Germany  is  right — 

The  meek  shaU  serve  the  mihtant. 

The  strong  shall  trample  on  the  weak. 

The  feeble  can  only  perish. 
It  is  Germany  against  humanity. 
If  Germany  is  right — 

All  that  Germany  Las  done  is  good. 

All  we  hold  dear  is  wrong. 

Om*  hopes  and  faith  and  history  of  a  hundred  years  are  vain. 
It  is  Germany  against  civilization. 

THE  ONRUSHING  EVENT. 

Other  wars  were  local. 

The  Crimean,  the  Franco-Prussian,  the  Russo-Japanese^ — 
we  heard  of  them  by  post  or  wire,  hardly  more.  This  war 
reached  everywhere  from  its  first  stroke. 

It  interfered  with  aU  trade,  all  commerce,  aU  industry, 
aU  finance,  aU  arts. 

It  upset  all  markets,  all  currencies,  all  production. 

It  broke  all  communications,  hampered  all  exchanges, 
shook  all  institutions. 

It  intruded  on  every  Government,  every  people,  every 
living. 

It  clipped  every  dollar,  shrunk  every  loaf,  took  from 
eveiy  day's  wages. 

In  the  nature  of  things  this  is  a  world  war. 


059  272  3 


Other  wars  were  momentary. 

Rivals  fought  over  boundaries,  thrones,  mistresses,  quar- 
rels, booties.     This  war  goes  to  fundamental  things. 

Two  systems  of  civilization  contend  for  place  in  the 
world  now  so  close  knit  that  they  can  not  both  survive. 
In  ordinary  competition  one  or  the  other  would  supersede. 
Now  war  determines  which  shall  prevail. 

From  this  war  comes  universal  compulsion  or  imiversal 
cooperation. 

Election  by  catastrophe. 

In  the  natui-e  of  things  the  free  world  which  Germany 
defies  ranges  itself  on  freedom's  side — England,  France,  the 
new  Russia,  Canada,  Australia,  the  United  States,  Argentina — 
aU  the  company  of  free  peoples. 

Carrying  on  the  fight  the  fathers  made  for  independence, 
for  liberty,  for  free  institutions,  America  is  summoned  to 
defend  not  only  its  possessions,  its  Government,  and  its 
people,  but  its  very  soul.  We  mamtain  not  mere  existence 
but  the  fabric  of  our  world. 

We  aflBrm  the  faith  America  first  proclaimed. 

In  the  womb  of  destiny. 

After  the  war  there  will  rise  a  new  world.  On  us — ^under 
God — it  rests  whether  it  be  wrought  of  freedom  or  of  servi- 
tude— ui  the  German  order  or  of  America's  spirit;  a  hard 
world  dominated  by  the  iron  law  or  a  fair  world,  increasing 
in  happiness  under  the  mild  sway  of  the  golden  rule= 

We  stake  all  on  freedom. 


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